FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional relay. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a connection structure between a terminal fitting and the relay illustrated in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the connection structure between the relay and the terminal fitting illustrated in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in FIG. 9.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, a conventional relay 301 has a relay main body 302 having a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, and a plurality of plate-shaped terminal portions 303 that protrudes from a bottom surface 302b of the relay main body 302 and is fitted to a terminal fitting 304 (illustrated in FIG. 10). In addition, reference numeral 302a in FIG. 7 illustrates a top surface of the relay main body 302, reference numerals 302c to 302f illustrate side surfaces of the relay main body 302. In addition, an arrow K illustrates a fitting direction of the terminal portion 303 and the terminal fitting 304.
In this specification, a surface of the terminal portion protruding from the relay main body (that is, a component main body) is referred to as a “bottom surface”, regardless of the orientation of the relay main body, and the opposite surface thereof is referred to as a “top surface”.
As illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, the conventional “connection structure 307 between the relay and the terminal fitting” has the relay 301 illustrated in FIG. 7, a plurality of terminal fittings 304 fitted to the plurality of terminal portions 303 of the relay 301, and a holding member 306 on which the relay 301 and the terminal fitting 304 are mounted. Furthermore, in FIG. 9, one of the two relays 301 is not illustrated to describe the holding member 306.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, the terminal fitting 304 has a female connection portion that is fitted to the terminal portion 303 of the relay 301. Furthermore, the terminal fitting 304 is connected to the end portion of an electric wire 305.
The holding member 306 is made of a synthetic resin. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the holding member 306 is provided with two relay mounting portions 363. The relay mounting portion 363 includes a placing surface 360 on which the relay main body 302 is placed, a plurality of housing chambers 361 that is formed below the placing surface 360 to house the terminal portions 303 and the terminal fittings 304, and a lance 362 that is provided in the housing chambers 361 and is locked to the terminal fitting 304. In addition, reference numeral 364 in FIG. 8 is a locking portion that is locked to a casing, such as an electrical connection box.
The aforementioned “connection structure 307 between the relay and the terminal fitting” is housed, for example, in a casing made of a synthetic resin and forms an automotive electrical connection box (see Patent Literature 1).